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Gavin Rossdale discusses Bush reunion LP, tour

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A few weeks back, Gavin Rossdaleignited the web with news that he’d be rounding up his old alt band, Bush. While this still proves true, it’s not nearly the reunion you thought it’d be.

“I’m so pleased because I’ve got my voice back,” Rossdale explains to Billboard. “To be in Bush, the band you’re basically born to be in, it’s like a suit of armor. It’s very exciting.”

But, it’s not really Bush. As the article goes on to explain, the current “reunited” incarnation lists Rossdale, along with guitarist Chris Traynor, bassist Corey Britz, and original drummer Robin Goodridge. No, Nigel Pulsford will not be joining them, as any fan probably hoped he would. He won’t even be on the album; though, neither will original bassist Dave Parsons. So, you have to ask, “How is this a reunion?”

Considering Traynor’s been Rossdale’s guitarist since 2004’s ill fated Institute, this really isn’t too different than his past projects. And unlike The Smashing Pumpkins, Bush hasn’t always been a one-man show. In other words, not having Pulsford around is, well, a pretty big hole. But that’s not Rossdale’s fault. After all, he did approach Pulsford, as he tells Billboard that the former guitarist “doesn’t want to travel anymore.”

What’s worse, the reunion LP, Everything Always Now, due out in October, is being produced by Bob Rock, aka the man behind the scenes of such classics like Metallica’s St. Anger and, gulp, Rossdale’s solo effort, WANDERlust.

There’s still some hope, however. At the very least, Rossdale sounds enthused.

“It’s tricky,” Rossdale continues, “because you want the band to evolve and you want to make songs that people really care about, but you also don’t want to repeat yourself. I was mindful of that. My musical vocabulary is better all the time — I get better at playing guitar, I think this is the best I’ve ever sung, so I want the record to reflect that.”

Given that the current single, “Afterlife”, is hardly anything to write home about, we’ll take these comments with a grain of salt. Not that we don’t believe the guy, but if it’s anything like WANDERlust, which the new single sort of hints at, we doubt we’ll be sharing his perspectives.

But, we’ll know soon. Prior to the album’s October release, Rossdale hints that we might see an EP surface ahead of time to stir up some buzz. As for tour dates, don’t get too excited just yet. While the band plans to perform at Epicenter Festival on September 25th, along with some secret shows here and there, a proper tour won’t follow until early 2011.

For now, continue to nibble at the band’s hype machine and listen to Rossdale’s interview with Las Vegas’ Dave and Mahoney Morning Show, where he digresses on the album’s sound and his approach to Pulsford.